Jazz is a combination of African-American and European music, which started in large cities like New Orleans and Chicago. It is full of improvisations, and in the 1920s, it was the most popular type of music around. Jazz was characterized by legendary musicians like Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, and Jelly Roll Morton (1).
Other forms of jazz music:
Spiritual Jazz - often expresses religious faith, but sometimes served as social or political protest. This form of jazz originally came from enslaved Africans.
Ragtime - Even though this music began in the 19th century, the love for this music carried on throughout the 20th century. This music was the first true American music genre. Ragtime music also formed several dances, including Slow Drag, and also more upbeat dances.
Slang Jazz - This music was very popular among adolescents. Although this music is slang, it is a recognized form of jazz (6).
Scat:
Scat singing was also a popular part of music in the 1920s. Scat singing is the singing of nonsense syllables and words, generally to an improvised tune. Scat singers were often times accompanied by a musical instrument, such as a trumpet or saxophone. This is similar to “vocalese”, the addition of singing to a jazz melody or tune. The improvised sung melodies are intended to be the equivalent of an instrumental solo (2).
Blues:
Blues, another type of music which was popular in the 1920s, is an American form of folk music, which is related to jazz. It originally came from former enslaved Africans (6). Repetitive, it is based on the 'Blue Note', which is a slight drop of pitch on the third, fifth, and seventh note on the scale (3). Blues has many sub groups, but the most popular one during the 1920s was 'delta blues' (5). Blues musicians like Blind Lemon Jefferson and Son House were famous in the music industry. Between 1925 and and his death in 1929, Blind Lemon Jefferson recorded over eighty blues songs (5).
3. Cole, Richard. "Standard Blues Progressions." Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary. 22 Feb 2007. Virginia Tech Music Department. 1 Mar 2008 <http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/ >.
Types of Music
Jazz:
Jazz is a combination of African-American and European music, which started in large cities like New Orleans and Chicago. It is full of improvisations, and in the 1920s, it was the most popular type of music around. Jazz was characterized by legendary musicians like Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, and Jelly Roll Morton (1).Other forms of jazz music:
Spiritual Jazz - often expresses religious faith, but sometimes served as social or political protest. This form of jazz originally came from enslaved Africans.Ragtime - Even though this music began in the 19th century, the love for this music carried on throughout the 20th century. This music was the first true American music genre. Ragtime music also formed several dances, including Slow Drag, and also more upbeat dances.
Slang Jazz - This music was very popular among adolescents. Although this music is slang, it is a recognized form of jazz (6).
Scat:
Scat singing was also a popular part of music in the 1920s. Scat singing is the singing of nonsense syllables and words, generally to an improvised tune. Scat singers were often times accompanied by a musical instrument, such as a trumpet or saxophone. This is similar to “vocalese”, the addition of singing to a jazz melody or tune. The improvised sung melodies are intended to be the equivalent of an instrumental solo (2).Blues:
Blues, another type of music which was popular in the 1920s, is an American form of folk music, which is related to jazz. It originallyWorks Consulted
1. Cole, Richard. "Scat Singing." Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary. 22 Feb 2007. Virginia Tech Music Department. 1 Mar 2008 <http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/textS/Scatsinging.html> .
2. Cole, Richard. "Jazz." Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary. 22 Feb 2007. Virginia Tech Music Department. 1 Mar 2008 <http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/textS/Jazz.html >.
3. Cole, Richard. "Standard Blues Progressions." Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary. 22 Feb 2007. Virginia Tech Music Department. 1 Mar 2008 <http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/ >.
4. "Jazz." Texas Music History Online. 2008. Center for Texas Music History. 6 Mar 2008 <http://ctmh.its.txstate.edu/genre.php?cmd=detail&gid=6 >.
5. "Southern Music in the 1920s." Southern Music. Southern Music Network. 1 Mar 2008 <http://www.southernmusic.net/1920.htm>.
6. "Music of the 1920s." 7 Mar. 2008 <http://www.promotega.org/hgr07015/1920s.html>.